Lame title bleh bleh bleh
by Love and Hate and Sex and Pain
Summary: Summary inside... This is a one-shot of Haymitch and Effie in their 3rd year of working in the Games (mentoring and escorting).


**This is kinda lame, but right now (1:04 am west coast time) the internet is down and I can't post the new chapter that I wrote for "Family tree". SO this is the result. A one shot of Effie and Haymitch when they were adjusting to their (practically) newly appointed jobs -mentoring and escorting. R&R please! FYI, This is in Effie's POV**  
**-Love and Hate and Sex and Pain**

After we are all on the train, I sit with the tributes -who are 12 and 13- and try to ease their stress by hopefully distracting them. But I know this doesn't work. This is my 3rd year of escorting, and Haymitch's third year of mentoring. I try not to get attached, and Haymitch tries not to drink so he can help them. He started drinking last year, when he started to realize his fate. Where is Haymitch anyway?

"Excuse me. I am going to find Haymitch." I say standing up. I walk in my heels with ease, and my wig stationed on my head. This year it's as dark as ebony, and my dress is a matching color. I like how my mother hated it, it was the point. I am to afraid of people to do anything drastic, but I rebel in my own way.

I walk to Haymitch's compartment, to find him on the ground; shaking and holding a bottle of whiskey.

"Haymitch!" I exclaim and cover my mouth. I've never seen anyone like this before. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"What does it look like?" He asks gruffly, although his voice catches, ruining the intended affect.

"Well, I'd say not," I reply grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet. Even when I am in heels, he clears my head by a few inches.

He yanks his arm away, walks a couple steps, then falls. I try to help him up again, but he waves me away and says he can do it himself.

"Clearly." I say rolling my eyes and humoring him.

"Go put on your stupid makeup and wigs, Effie." He says taking another swig of his drink.

"You're being rude, Haymitch." I say. He needs to brush up on his manners. I was only trying to help.

"You can go stick one of those heels of your's up your ass. And while you're at it why don't you do something useful and oh, I don't know, kill yourself so another escort can take your place that isn't so dreadful." He slurs his words, and though I know that it is the alcohol talking, I can't help but feel like.. Never mind..

I look at Haymitch, not believing he would say that, and walk off to my compartment. I hear Haymitch calling after me, but I don't respond. I shouldn't. And I can't. A lump has formed in my throat, and there's no talking around it.

I slam the door to my compartment, feeling pathetic. I rip off my wig, letting my auburn hair spill over my shoulders. It goes to the top of my breasts; it is a nice length. I almost tear my dress trying to get out of it. I kick off my shoes and step into the shower so I can wash off my makeup.

_What just happened? What am I going to do? How am I going to go about everything here on out? Am I going to take his advice and off myself? No, I can't. Just because Haymitch said so. God, I loathe that man. _But there is something about those sad grey eyes that finds a soft spot in me. I can't imagine what it must be like for him. And especially at our age of 19. We're still so young. I can't stay mad at Haymitch no matter how hard I try. But if he really wants me gone, what should I do?

A knock at the door surprises me, and then I hear it open and close.

"Effie.." Haymitch says.

"Go away." I say, my voice shaky. I cringe at my voice, it sounds like I've been crying, then I realize I have been.

"Effie, I'm sorry." I can't tell if he's being sincere.

"It's fine." I lie.

"I know it's not." His voice is closer now, right outside the door. "I really didn't mean what I said." He says.

I don't answer, the lump in my throat is back. I stop the shower, realizing my makeup is long gone down the drain.

"Effie, say something." He pleads. But I remain silent as I towel off. "Effie?" He says concerned.

"Yes?" I say trying to sound annoyed but failing. My voice is still catching on itself.

"I- uh... You-" he sighs not knowing what to say, but then settles for, "See you at dinner." Then he leaves.

I kind of didn't want him to leave, so I could tell him how unfair that was. But I didn't say anything so I am here alone dressing in plain clothes. I don't feel like wearing anything that I would usually. I wear black leggings that make my ass look great. _Oh, such a rebel._ I pair it with a maroon long sleeve shirt made out of soft material and medium length cozy tan boots.

I tell the tributes to come to dinner. They are surprised and don't recognize me at first. I explain that I am wearing no makeup, and am not wearing a wig either. They say I look good like this. I don't think so. I am very pale, have darkish rings under my eyes, and my hair is wavy. I like my hair, but it is thick and hard to deal with.

Haymitch has seen me like this once before, when he walked in on me getting dressed. He saw a lot more than just my face, though. I was wearing just a bra and underwear, which hardly cover anything and just gave him just a tad bit of room for his imagination to wonder about. He had just stood there speechless, while I yelled at him to get out.

Again, he is speechless. I smirk at him, but then remember the ordeal earlier and frown. Haymitch see's that the tributes aren't here yet, and so he decides to say something.

"You- you look good." He half smiles.

"Thank you." I say avoiding his gaze and sitting down. There is a spread of sea food. Crab cakes, lobster, oysters and such.

"Effie, about earlier-" He starts but I cut him off.

"No, Haymitch. I don't want to talk about it." I say biting into a crab cake.

He nods his head and follows my example. I am being kind of rude, but who the hell cares? I have plenty of time to be stern and uptight in the future. But right now I am young and shall live as I want. I will be rude if I want. To who I want. Ok, I'll be rude to basically just Haymitch.

Once the tributes enter, conversation picks up. Haymitch tells them how to find food, water, shelter, etc. I ignore their conversation and get my tea so I can watch the recap. It's just same old, same old. I am looking very Gothic in all black, and I notice something I couldn't have possibly at the reaping. Haymitch keeps his eyes on me, looking extremely depressed. I shake the image from my head and go to bed.

_53rd Hunger Games. Coming right up. Then the 54th. And so on in this never ending depression. This must be what people call hell._

I fall asleep for a split second, then am woken by Haymitch shaking my shoulders. "What do you want?" I say looking at him.

"I need you to know how sorry I am." He looks at me pleadingly. I observe the sad look his eyes carry.

"Alright." I say sitting up and crossing my arms. "How sorry are you?"

"So sorry that I don't know if someone could be more sorry." He says this with his hands on my knees as he sits on the floor at my feet. "I feel horrible, Effie."

"Alright. Apology excepted. Now everything is fine and you can go back to bed." I say looking right in his eyes.

"I know it's not fine, I'm not an idiot." He says.

"No, it's not. But what could you do that would make it any-" I am cut off by his lips on mine. I am shocked at first, but then decide to go along with it.

His lips are warm on mine, his hands cupping my face. He must be on his knees now. I wrap my arms around his neck, not wanting to let go. His hands go to my waste and pull me closer. Or rather he comes closer, laying me back on the bed with him on top. I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to ruin the moment some how. I am okay with this. This is happening. I really hope I am not dreaming. But then remember I hardly had fallen asleep. And this just is not a dream.

Haymitch pulls back, and sits me up to. "I'm sorry." He says looking confused. "But I had to do that. I just had to."

"Okay." Is all I can think to say.

"Good night, Effie." He says getting up to leave.

"Good night, Haymitch." I say, wanting him to come back. Haymitch just kissed me. And I liked it. I like Haymitch.

**Awww. Now wasn't that cute? No? Okay... Lol**


End file.
